Brussels, 28/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - Based on figures for 2009, released by the European Commission on Friday 28 January, the Czech Republic would be the big loser in plans to cap direct agricultural aid spending.
If the cap were to be set at €300,000 in aid per farm, more than 26% of Czech farmers would be affected by the measure under consideration by Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Cioloº in his proposals for the reform of the common agricultural policy (CAP) after 2013. In financial terms, this would mean a loss of over €126 million (out of total payments of €473.6 million in 2009) for the country. Other countries that would feel the pinch with this new provision would be Slovakia (22.3%, or €44.6 million out of €200 million), Hungary (15.89%, or €108 million out of €682.8 million) and Germany (17%, or €947.2 million out of €5.5 billion in 2009).
France would be relatively little affected, with only 1.5% of its farmers receiving more than €300,000 in aid, representing a loss of €180 million out of a total of €8.1 billion. During the Council debate in November of last year (see EUROPE 10266), the Commission proposal to cap aid for farm incomes brought criticism from a number of countries (Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia and Romania). In 2009, it should be noted, the newer EU member states received only 50% of full aid. With full aid in 2013, Czech farmers will find themselves very much better off. (L.C./transl.rt)